Former US Olympian David Hearn indicted in alleged Reflecting Pool vandalism
Hearn claims he only put his hand in the water and touched the blue Reflecting Pool liner
By Jasmine Baehr , Jackson Thompson Fox News
Published July 2, 2026 2:55pm EDT | Updated July 2, 2026 2:58pm EDT
Former U.S. Olympic canoeist David "Davey" Hearn was indicted on a felony destruction of property charge after his arrest last month at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., according to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
Hearn, a former U.S. Olympic canoeist, was charged Thursday in D.C. Superior Court after the June 19 incident.
Hearn has denied damaging the recently renovated Reflecting Pool, saying he stopped during a bike ride and merely touched a loose piece of the peeling blue coating "to satisfy my curiosity as a citizen."
The indictment comes after several people were arrested or cited for alleged damage to the Reflecting Pool, which underwent a more than $14 million rehabilitation project under President Donald Trump.
The president previously blamed vandals for the damage to the pool, which features a blue coating he calls "American flag blue."
Hearn's attorney has responded to the indictment.
"Davey Hearn is innocent. These charges are outrageous and should be alarming to every American. This indictment reflects the Administration’s effort to shift blame for their own failures. On the eve of our nation’s Independence Day, Americans should be deeply concerned by the misuse of government power against an ordinary citizen based on a concocted narrative. The justice system exists to determine facts, not provide political cover," the statement read.
Hearn's arrest became a viral sensation after it was captured by journalist Emily Miller. Miller filmed a two-minute video of Hearn being detained, which quickly went viral on X.
Miller accused Hearn of grabbing a hose that female National Park Service workers were using to clear the algae. Hearn denied the accusation, though he admitted his bike tire might have bumped it.
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https://www.foxnews.com/sports/former-us-olympian-david-hearn-indicted-alleged-reflecting-pool-vandalism
